Process of treating hydrocarbon oils



Feb. 11, 1941. BRENNAN v v 2,231,803

PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed 'July 25, 1936' INVENTOR.

HARRY E. DRENNAN- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 Harry E. Drennan, Whittenburg, Tex, assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application July 25, 1936,, Serial No. 92.632

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the art of treating hydrocarbons for the purpose of producing therefrom an improved type of motor fuel. In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to the treatment of hydrocarbons oi the gasoline type to convert the same into gasoline like products having high anti-knock qualities.

Thepbject of this invention, therefore, is to treat hydrocarbons ofthe gasoline type to improve their qualities.

A still further object of this invention is to treat hydrocarbons of the gasoline type by contacting the same with charcoal and thereby improve the anti-knock qualities of the same.

Briefly, by this invention it is proposed to pro-- duce gasoline like products of high quality by passing hydrocarbon oils in vapor phase, while maintained in a highly heated or superheated form, into contact with charcoal which is maintained by the heat of the vapors or otherwise at a temperature above the normal vapor temperature at the existing pressure of the hydrocarbons under treatment.

The following description, which is a preferred type of operation, is offered merely for purpose of disclosing the different s ages to include the various temperatures and conditions which exist and is not to be considered as limitations thereto, as the method is capable of many variations which are included within the general scope of the invention.

The figure illustrates diagrammatically one type of apparatus for effecting the present invention.

The hydrocarbon oil to be treated is introduced through pipe l by means of a pump II and forced into a heating coil l2 contained in the furnace l3 which may be heated by any suitable means. In coil l2 the oil is vaporized and heated to any desirable temperature, and the heated vapors pass from coil l2 to a continuation thereof i 2A wherein the vaporized oil is superheated and from whence it passes through the pipe I4 into a catalytic treatment tower IS in which there is contained a body of charcoal, designated by the reference numeral I. The vapors entering the tower l5 pass through the body l6 of charcoal which is maintained by the heat of the vapors, orby any other suitable means, at a desired temperature. The treated vapors leave the tower l5 near the bottom thereof and flow through a pipe I! controlled by valve.

the clay containing tower 22 through conduit 24 and pass through a condenser 25 and then flow through conduit 26 to a tank 21 from which they are withdrawn through pipe 28, controlled by valve 28, to storage If the product being charged to the vaporizing coil I2 is in the boiling range desired, fractionating tower I! may be by-passed and the vapors passed directly from the cataly st tower I5 to the clay tower 22 at the desired temperature. Wherein it is desired to by-pass the vapors around the fractionating tower l8, the valve 30 in the line 32 is opened, and valve 3| of line l1 and valve 33 or line 2! are closed. Condensates accumulating in the towers I5 and 22 may be withdrawn from the bottoms thereof through the pipes 34 and 35 respectively, which are controlled by the valves 36 and 31.

The invention contemplates fractionating or refractionation of the hydrocarbon oils treated by the process when required. Example is given below to clarify the process but is not to be interpreted as limitations to the invention.

Example-Cracked gasoline was vaporized and the vapors heated to 750 F. and passed through a tower containing charcoal screened to 5 to 30 mesh. The tower was maintained at about 750 F. and at a pressure of about 15 to 20 pounds per square inch. The rate of passing the gasoline vapors through the charcoal was equivalent to 2 to 4 barrels of distillate per hour per ton of catalyst. Tests on the charge and make are as follows:

Charge Make GravitgoA. P. I 59. 5 58. 9 Initial iling point. 110 112 595 158 158 178 178 m", 206 206 30",.--" 230 230 40% 24s 24s 50. 262 266 60 278 280 70 296 302 80 310 are 90", 336 342 End int 378 380 Percent recovery 98 98 Percent residue. 1 1 Percent loss 1 1 Percent over at 212 F 20 21 Reid vapor pressure 5. 9 4. 6 Percent snlphur.. 148 004 Octane No 59. 2 64. 4 'Ietraetliyl lead per gallon to 70 octane No 2. 2 55 Percent reduction tetraethyl lead T 75 In practicing this invention the temperature may range from 500 to 1500" F. and the pressure may vary from atmospheric to 5,000 pounds. But when treating lighter hydrocarbons, such as butane and methane, in accordance with this invention the pressure'may vary from atmospheric to 5,000 pounds and the temperature from 800 to l,500 F.

In the practice of this invention it is to be understood that nothing herein stated relative to the description thereof is intended to restrict the type of hydrocarbons of the motor fuel or gasoline range or type that may be treated in accordance with the teachings of this present invention, and accordingly hydrocarbons of the gasoline type or within the gasoline or motor fuel range,

derived from distillation, cracking, polymerization, or by any other manner and from any source, may be treated by the method herein described.

I claim:

The method of increasing the anti-knock prop erties of motor fuels boiling within the gasoline range which comprises vaporizing said fuel and heating said vapors to a temperature in the neighborhood of 750 F., passing said vaporized fuel at substantially said temperature through a body of charcoal at a flow rate of 2 to 4 barrels of liquid per hour per ton of catalyst.

HARRY E. BRENNAN. 

